The one still standing
by Nekocin
Summary: -Lal Mirch-centric- This year's applicants have multiplied by three, putting pressure on both the administration forces and the instructors.


**Title:** The one still standing  
**Day/Theme:** September 2 / none of a kind  
**Series:** Katekyo Hitman Reborn!  
**Characters:** Lal Mirch, Colonnello  
**Rating:** PG13  
**Other:** turned out a bit stranger than I'd hoped, 31_days community, pre-series, wrote this on September 2 but I still decided to share anyway.  
**Disclaimer:** Don't own KHR!

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This year's applicants have multiplied by three, putting pressure on both the administration forces and the instructors. Groups of twenty five are made within a week after registration--a hellish job considering some newbies will come back and complain about problematic room bunks and co-mates.

Several commanding officers, including her, are requested to fill in empty posts due to the Force's lack of trainers. As one of the very few female commanding officers, who made it through within the walls of male-dominated training grounds, it's no surprise her very presence≈dressed in the usual required training uniform with stars and stripes sown across her breast pocket and the shoulder blades≈is treated as a joke.

Legs spread apart, hands clasped behind her straightened back, Lal Mirch gives each and every member in the group assigned under her wing an overall sweeping glare. Two-third of her team consists of tall guys, approximately 1.80 or 1.90 in height, while the rest is below 1.80m. Several of them need a thorough haircut--unattractive, long, shaggy hair makes them look like self-centered teens imitating rock bands gone ancient--excessive jewelry-wear will be confiscated.

That's why there's nothing more annoying than training brats≈young, naive and weak fools--who view the COMSUBIN as a hangout to play hero and make use of fire power ordinary citizens aren't allowed to touch. Several of them even got the nerve to give her flirtatious smiles and winks.

This is the group she's going to be mowing over for two months? She scoffs in her mind.

Lal Mirch takes a deep breath before shouting out above the racket. "All right, everyone stand in line!"

The slow back and forth shuffling amongst the recruits ticks her off. "Move it! Move it!"

A hand shoots up in the air--gloved and loose--requesting her attention. "I've a question!"

Although she has yet to begin the actual introduction the interruption stops her from blowing off more steam than needed. "Go ahead, cadet."

A cocky grin and a friendly face greets her. They all look the same to her though. Young. Naive and weak.

"I think there must be some kind of mistake, madam."

"And that would be...?" she prompts, already having an idea where this is going.

"This is the men's training camp, right? I mean no offence madam, but you aren't actually our trainer, are you?" the cadet ventures with a grin. The other members make agreeable noises, also grinning along as they murmur inaudibly to each other.

Bunch of idiots! She resists herself from whooping their asses with the nose of her shiny booths.

"Oh. You've got a problem with that, soldier? If so, resign yourself and go home. COMSUBIN is obviously not for cowards!"

The grin immediately disappear from pretty boy's face and all the other supporters.

"Hey, wait a sec, madam. With all due respect, I applied for this in order to serve my country and not for this stupid dispute. I can't just resign!" the same recruit protests.

It has become clear that her team is filled with wusses who can only nod 'yes, yes, yes' to everything that fool is saying. They can't even voice their individual disagreements in front of her face.

A sergeant, whose name she has yet to remember, salutes her in passing as he walks past with his rumpled group in two. She returns the greeting with a short, affirmative nod, eyeing the group and for a moment, she recognizes the nervous jittery movements of their legs, their hands, their body language in her own team. Maybe she's a bit too hard on them...

"Are you even listening?"

Suddenly she finds the brash man with the cocky grin breathing into her face, angry; his height easily towering over her, his face flushed and eyes flashing blue. Alarmed by his presence, Lal Mirch throws him down with an effortless twist of his arm. She presses one knee into his back and then shoots warning glares to the other recruits.

"Everyone stand in line! Short ones to the left and the rest of you to the right! Don't make me repeat myself! Move it!" She commands, biting back several insults as her team sluggishly take their places, measuring their shoulders against one another until they finally settle down. Once everyone is set, she turns her attention to the -_boy_- beneath her knee.

"State your name, officer."

"Co-" He winces. "Colonnello, madam!"

"Nice to meet you. I'm lieutenant Lal Mirch. Because today is only reserved for introduction and you punks don't know anything, I'm letting you off. Next time you won't be lucky. You hear me, officer?"

"Yes, madam! Understood, madam!"

"Good. Now stand in line!" She releases the newbie, takes a few steps back to ease into her commanding position and waits.

The boy, Colonnello, flicks off pecks of dirt from his shirt and then his face. He then slowly pushes himself off the ground, a ready grin still dancing upon his lips, only this time he appears to be amused about something. Whatever is going through that boy's mind, Colonnello isn't easily beaten down.

Maybe there's still hope for this year's recruits.

"Two months. Within these two months I'll whip you guys into training until you cry like little girls. So please look forward to tomorrow." With that said, she gives them all her best smirk, her pointed glare in Colonnello's direction.

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**TheNekoTalks:**

Err... eheheh. Lal Mirch was so OoC. ^^; Excuse me for breaking canon. These two are rarely explored so I decided to use them for the 31_days challenge. On another note, I've no idea which rank Lal Mirch actually is.

**.:Nekocin:.**


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